- This weekend’s Premier League schedule sees Declan Rice visit his boyhood club West Ham.
- We look at major talking points before the Premier League weekend.
This weekend’s Premier League schedule sees Declan Rice visit his boyhood club West Ham.
We look at major talking points before the Premier League weekend.
The battle of the Brazilian strikers
Joao Pedro with Richarlison. Photo/ Goal
The fact that the top nine-ranking candidates for Brazil are primarily found on these shores is a testament to the quality of the Premier League right now. With 64 caps already for his nation, Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal and Richarlison of the Spurs are in the running for international recalls due to their respective teams’ performances.
To maintain Spurs’ drive for the top four, the latter has been outstanding in recent weeks. Richarlison has assumed Son Heung-min’s scoring role to jump-start a Spurs career that found it difficult to get off the ground the previous campaign. The 26-year-old scored nine goals in eight Premier League games last weekend against his previous club, Everton, with no player in the league having scored more goals since.
A player vying with Richarlison for a spot on the Seleaco team will be up against it this coming weekend. With 19 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions, Joao Pedro has had an outstanding debut season at Brighton. Since receiving his first cap for the national team in the fall, Pedro’s success at the Amex has only increased. He has everything the Seagulls need for another big sale.
No love lost for Declan Rice
Despite the euphoria of winning the Europa Conference League the previous season, Declan Rice’s exit from West Ham felt inevitable in the summer.
Before Arsenal emerged victorious in the fight to recruit the 24-year-old for a club record £105 million, the midfielder had remained under the radar of the best teams in the Premier League for some time. Rice has performed admirably in his first few months at Arsenal, particularly in the team’s 3-1 victory against title rivals Liverpool last week, which kept the Gunners in the running for the championship.
This Saturday, Mikel Arteta’s club will fly across the capital to play West Ham. It will be Rice’s first Premier League trip to the London Stadium. Arsenal, who have already lost twice to West Ham this season in all competitions, will need Rice to perform at his peak against his former team. In a close title battle, the margin for mistake is small.
Foden on form for the Citizens
Phil Foden celebrates after scoring against Brentford at the Brentford Community Stadium. Photo/ Sky Sports.
For quite some time, Phil Foden has been hailed as the next big thing in English football. His rise to prominence was sparked by his Golden Ball during England’s victory in the u-17 World Cup nearly seven years ago.
The Stopford street football player is currently in maybe the greatest form of his professional career, as seen by his incredible hat-trick during Monday night’s 3-1 victory against Brentford by Manchester City. Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne were back in the lineup, but Foden was the one who controlled the game by squeezing through Brentford’s narrow lines and producing devastating results.
Despite his brilliance, Foden hasn’t been able to establish himself as England’s surefire starter. Although the 23-year-old is guaranteed to play in the summer’s European Championship, it is unclear how Gareth Southgate would use him, as Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka seem to be locked for two of the three positions supporting Harry Kane.
It seems that Southgate needs to choose Foden as a weapon for England’s summer international campaign, where they may require pivotal moments against well-positioned defenses.
Liverpool need Nunez magic
Darwin Nunez. Photo/ Liverpool FC
Following a disastrous afternoon in the capital where they lost to Arsenal, Liverpool’s ambitions of winning the title were severely damaged. Darwin Nunez was a noticeable absence for Liverpool at the Emirates, as the team managed only one attempt on goal, a move that caught Jurgen Klopp off guard.
Nunez’s inefficiency has made him an entertaining figure for opponents, and he will likely always split opinion. Depending on whose side you support, he may be unfortunate or a waste of money, but when the 24-year-old is playing, Liverpool appears to be the superior team.
Nunez has not started any of Liverpool’s four losses this season in all competitions. Though less obvious than the numerical statistics, his effect is nevertheless significant because of his ability to locate himself in advantageous situations and intimidate defenses with speed, power, and charisma.
Nunez has earned the nickname “Captain Chaos,” but Liverpool appears more dangerous because of his unpredictable play, especially when Mohamed Salah isn’t playing.
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